Pastor's Paragraph, 9/25/2018

Dear Church Family,Sunday night we looked at the book from Thom Rainer, Breakout Churches. The book highlights the reality of the decline across American churches with an emphasis on the few who actually rebound. From a pool of data covering 50,000 churches, only 13 churches were identified as “breakout” meeting the set criteria. All 13 churches had six primary characteristics which facilitated the rare, but phenomenal success in experiencing sustained growth. Sunday night we will return to the Dickerson’ book, The Great Evangelic Recession, wrestling with the dire state of churches.

Our sermon series through the Psalms, “Songs for the Soul”, brings us to Psalm 100. We live and operate in a world corrupted in such a manner to steal or kill a person’s joy. Heartache and tragedy are everywhere. Even if it is not directly effecting you presently, there are those we know, love, and are connected to who suffer. Our news sources continually bombard us with the tragedies both near and far. It is inescapable. It is across the globe and down the street, while soon coming to pay you a personal visit. Where can we find joy and how can we maintain it in such an environment?

The writer of the psalm directs us to look beyond our circumstances. “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (v. 5) Remembering the reality of who God is and how he loves us is the means for experiencing joy while we contend with the reality of life. We are called upon to “make a joyful noise to the Lord.” (v. 1) The joyful noise can be song. The joyful noise can be praise. The joyful noise can be tears. The joyful noise can be groans of agony. The joyful noise is not the noise, but the reason for the noise. When we are expressing our trust in God, his goodness and love, we are making a joyful noise. It is our heart crying out to him, rejecting this world, and trusting in his promises. Are you making a joyful noise? Are you trusting God?

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